Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-06-09
LIQUOR LEGISL4TIOS-THE SUMNER
REII PgIN.

"a "
lssk space in vour paper Ia reply briefly
10 some statements in Your Monday even
ing's edition. under the head Of Liquor
Legislation" in which, after describing
most graphically the ptiable condition OF
the victim Of strong drink, and of the part
performed therein by the saloon. the speak
ell Is represented aS proposing a. remedy
that will reach the needs ri the case, legs-
lation that viii declare the inebrlste insane
and imbeclle, and that such persons should
be placed under guardian. ut restrained "i
their liberty. Now, ii appears I" me that
the weakness of this position must toe ap
parent to all. Under such teaching the
state already is oNerburdened ia its vain en-
deavor Ia provide homes Tor the victims ui
the drink traffic SuppoSe the gentleman
plan Ia be adopted. what would be its ct,
frcts2
Simply more brick walls. more roofing, a
greater number of cells. and more people
who are daily becoming insane ia order that
they may be filled. How long or Ia what
extent is this method Ia obtain Where Is
To be the end As We look along in the
coming history OF our country at what point
shall this condition of things ceaSe. or is il
To be perpetrated forever? Who can look
impressed with the utter worthleSsness and
inaccuracy of the plan proposed. The
merest child ought 10 be- able to SEE it. Even
the heather and the untutored sons Of the
desert know better than this. and hence.
when they wish To prevent Christianity from
gaining fOothold, all their power and et-
fort is directed against the ''manufactury'
al Christians, namely the missionaries and
f.fi .a..t,
business is Ia stamp out these. and then
their task Is comparatively easy.
Now, IN all candur. why cannot We pur,
sue the same methods with regard Ia these
manufactures OF inebrsteS and insunr?
Why allow these la 20 on forever turning
out their CHASTITY products why not stay il
at once, now and forever The Ohio fish
commission has recently reslocked our
streams with tish. This was made neceS-
>ary because the former supply had run
out. This We say is proper and right, hut
what would we say II, instead of fish. the
state of Ohio should, through its authorized
agents. have filled our rivers and streams
with most deadly reptiles, snakes and ser-
pents, 81 that our people, both old and
young, would have been in constant danger
therefrom" | am sure il thiS.were to occur
there would be one universal protest from
every one and We would not stop to inquire
OF to range ourselves into this OF that par
ticular party. first second or third; but our
utmost endeayor would be directed towards
stopping the state from engaging in such
al unholy enterprise.
Furthermore, | am quite sure that ali the
newspapers of the state, and especially the
REPUBLIC. would be loud and unceasing in
their utteranceS against such an enorniry.
and rather suspect the question would
get into the pulpits, and be the subject of
a discourse AT least once year.
Come, gentlemen. wake up: unimber
ycur guns, open up your broadSides, let us
hear from you, for the great state of Ohio
Is actually doing. through itS authorized
agent, the saloon just this damnable
work that have indicated.
Mr.. Nelson has evidently conceived a
wrong idea Of the plan proposed by Or.
SHmmerbeli. IL does not aS We under
stand it. provide that the liberty of the in
ebriate shall be- sacrificed. or that he shall
be locked up in a cell. except when he
shall become dangerous or n public nui-
Ssnce, ana our present laws provide that
his liberty may at such times bee taken
from him. DR. Summerbell's proposal is
10 enact such laws as will have tendency
to cause man to carefully weigh not only
the propriety but the policy of using strong
liquors, and were such laws passed. the
chances are that the man would prefer To
have no restrictions upon his actions or
a.,al
by declining Ia indulge his ap-
petite for drink. II, however, man could
be- found who, under the provisions of the
proposed laws, would allow himself 10 be-
come All acknowledged inebriate he would
50 be taken care of that he would not be
able 10 injure anybody but him
self. He could not wreck the
life Of wife, because he could
not marry. and il would be impossible for
him 10 fritter away his property. ,if he had
any. because. under III. law. he would
have guardian. Other examples of the
of the plan might be cited, but
these are sufficient for illustration. Mr..
Nelson thinks that the merest child might
see the worthe>SnesS of the plan and that
even the heatheB know better, but if he
will closely examine the proposition he will
become assured that il will not down with
such Argument and that guns of more Ell
fectiyentss than Those loaded with mere
assertion. will have to be- turned against il,
il he would overthrow IL.
Mr.. Nelson's proposition TO strike first al
the manufacturer Of liquor, if We would
destroy the traffic. cumbats the most
hrmly established principle of political
viz. that the supply is governed
by the demand. 1t is the history Of the
world that wherever demand
has existed supply has been
furnished. Dr. Summerbell argues logic
ally that If the demand for liquor ceases
the supply will also cease. and he, there
fore, PROPOSES a system of laws that would
al least, materially reduce the demand
The proper and complete policy is that
which strikes at both the cause of the evil
the demandD and the evil itSell-the traffic
which is only AN evil except a. men buy
and consume the liquor. We hear great
4 al of intellectual slobbering over the poor
as if he Were an injured innocent.
'inned against but not shining. II is about
time that the guilt OF the man who persists
in making himself poor and miserable. and
all who are related to him ashamed and
unhappy, should be recognized and be held
for his conduct. Let both the
irunkard and drunkard-maker be restrict
ed, restrained, punished, abolished.
Miss Eunice Lyman Strong, who died al
Mass, June l. 1857, in the
year of her age. was one OF
he noted persons in Springfield, for long
time. She was. FOR many years. teacher.
and one who impressed her strong and
wholesome personality upon her pupils.
greatly 10 their advantage. She was IA most
Efficient and earnest-heart.,l friend of the
p"or. whether the unfOrtunat,-s were black
,r white. She was fast, true and helpful